Are these the best new chefs in Miami? Magazine honors the rising stars of 2025
A national restaurant magazine has named several chefs and food and beverage professionals from Miami as some of the best in the country.
StarChefs, which highlights up-and-coming culinary talent and industry trends, has announced its 2025 Miami Rising Stars Award winners who are being recognized for their food and the ability to lead, inspire and support the community and the restaurant industry.
Managing partner Will Blunt said the winners — who are judged on creativity, ambition, presentation and philosophy as well as their menus — are 'successfully representing the city's dynamic cultures and communities with respect and intention.'
'As the focus shifts west — beyond the beach — a new generation of chefs, bartenders, sommeliers and restaurateurs are thinking locally by emphasizing South Florida Produce, catering to year-round residents and embracing Miami's global influences while paying homage to the industry leaders who have come before them,' he said in a statement.
The culinary luminaries honored include Maria Teresa Gallina and Nicolas Martinez of Recoveco in South Miami and Juan Camilo Liscano of Palma in Miami. Both restaurants were added to the 2025 Michelin Guide this year, and Liscano won the Michelin Young Chef Award this year as well.
Also honored was Tam Pham of the insanely popular Vietnamese spot Tam Tam, named a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide, who's also one of the owners of the new Double Luck Chinese on the 79th Street Causeway.
Evan Burgess and Osmel Gonzalez of the Michelin-starred EntreNos in Miami Shores earned the Game Changer award, which recognizes professionals whose leadership is advancing the industry. Burgess and Gonzalez, who try to source the majority of their ingredients from Florida, earned a Michelin Green Star this year. They were honored for their locally sourced produce and land-based protein; sustainably sourced seafood; dinnerware made by a Miami-based artisan, an organic and biodynamic wine program and the repurposing of food waste into vinegars and sauces.
StarChefs is also hosting Miami Rising Stars Restaurant Week from May 7-21 — yes, that's technically two weeks — during which the chefs will prepare new and special dishes at their restaurants to show off their skills.
Here is a full list of this year's Miami winners.
Rising Stars chefs
Estefania Andrade of Trippy Kitchen, Tripping Animals Brewing Co. in Miami
Ivan Barros of Magic Wine Bar in Miami and Coconut Grove (formerly at Amara at Paraiso)
Javier Cussato and Carmen Ibarra of Atomica at MIA Market in the Design District
Maria Teresa Gallina and Nicolas Martinez of Recoveco in South Miami
Juan Camilo Liscano of Palma in Miami
Tam Pham of Tam Tam in downtown Miami
Juan Manuel Umbert of Pasta in Wynwood
Pastry chef
Ana De Sa Martins, formerly of Stubborn Seed in Miami Beach
Bakers
Christian Julien and Oscar Lastra of Facade
Bartender
Rensel Cabrera of The Sylvester in Miami
Sommeliers
Gabriela Ospina of Boia De in Little River
Matt Whitney of Sunny's Steakhouse in Little River
Game Changer award
Evan Burgess and Osmel Gonzalez of EntreNos in Miami Shores
Community award
Karla Hoyos of Tacotomia in Miami
Restaurateurs
Josh Hackler, Pili Restrepo and Sebastian Vargas of Grassfed Culture Hospitality
Concept award
Kavan Burke, Wayne Sharpe and Harrison Sofer of Jrk! in downtown Miami
Mentor award
Diego Oka of La Mar by Gaston Acurio
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